Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Wed Dec 4th Todays News

It takes integrity to achieve worthwhile things. And yet some really deficient people seem highly lauded. An actor who could drive cars quickly killed himself recently, and a friend, when he quickly drove his high performance car into a tree. There is real grief being expressed for him. I could understand his wife and children would miss him. Some say he had come from a charity event before he mindlessly killed himself and his friend. He was a good person? He was a kind person? He was a nice person? He was a rich man. I get upset with the bad behaviour of rich people who are role models for young ones. All that time and money people have invested into someone who dies from a stupid irresponsible act. And some young people will take his action as a cue. Not everything is perfect in everyone's life. A better response than gloating over success and de-stressing after, is to give thanks for the terrific blessing one has been given in life. To do that, one cannot rely on others, they need integrity to give of themselves. RIP Paul Walker, you were blessed, and drove away too soon. Fairfax move to protect their readers from an opinion that might be different from their view. Gosford Anglican Church gives up on Jesus, and holds to AGW alarmism. Hartcher steps aside. The matter looks less dangerous than that which claimed Greiner. So the press are playing the fantasy for ALP now, because they won't be able to celebrate later, and they will try to inflate things. If one was looking for a prostitute without clients, journalists may be the ones. ALP moves to deny the Libs the funds for Gonski. ABC fight to be unbalanced. Dylan sued. Why isAustralia home to islamo fascists? Where are the bent athletes we were told ruined our elite sports? Throwing money at schools seems ineffective.
===

Tim Blair – Wednesday,December 04,2013 (12:10pm)

Energy and Resources Minister Chris Hartcher has ... been forced to quit his portfolio as a result of an ICAC inquiry, but was confident he would clear his name…
In September, the Independent Commission Against Corruption raided the
offices of central coast Liberal MPs Chris Spence and Darren Webber,
seizing computers and documents.
The raids are believed to have been linked to allegations, revealed by
Fairfax Media last year, that two staff members of Mr Hartcher funnelled
political donations through a front company before the 2011 state
election.
Last year Mr Hartcher told Parliament he was not under investigation in
relation to the matter involving his two staff, but in September
declined to repeat the statement.

LABOR has deepened the political row over education by reversing one of
its own policies one day after accusing Tony Abbott of a backflip,
adding to fears of a hit to the budget from the government’s $1.2
billion increase in school funding.
The policy switch raises the prospect of a Senate blockade over a $2.3bn
savings measure, including an efficiency dividend on universities, that
Labor announced in April and the Coalition later adopted to pay for the
school reforms…
The $2.3bn saving included an efficiency dividend on universities to
raise $900 million, changes to scholarships to raise $1.2bn and the
removal of discounts on upfront fees to raise $230m. Bitterly opposed by
universities after Labor announced them, the savings now face a veto
from Labor and the Greens in the upper house and may not be passed until
the balance of power changes in the Senate next July.

Labor insists the Government implement the Gonski changes but now denies it the money set aside to pay for them.
Doesn’t that perfectly capture Labor’s last six years?
UPDATE
Labor sides with Greens to block savings, and the Greens once again take the credit:

Is Labor the political arm of the Greens party?
(Thanks to readers Gaetano and Peter of Bellevue Hill.)

There are two choices for the Coalition, the first involves taking a
leaf out of the New Left’s own handbook – affirmative action. For that
to happen, though, the ABC must first own up to the fifty-year-old
delusion of open-mindedness. All we ask is that for every episode of
Media Watch hosted by Paul Barry there’s another one straight afterwards
anchored by, say, Andrew Bolt – for every 7:30 Report an 8:30 Report,
for every Lateline a Laterline, for every Insiders an Outsiders, and so
on. Characters like Kerry O’Brien of “Bennelong has seen a large swing
to the ABC” can come out of the political closet and be themselves.
On the other hand, if the ABC refuses to honour its commitment “to
deliver content with integrity, diligence and transparency and to act in
the interests of citizens”, the second option open to the Coalition
government is to privatise the corporation, a not unreasonable outcome
given that it would save the Australian taxpayer $1.1 billion (and
climbing) every year, which includes Tony Jones’ $355,789 salary, Jon
Faine’s $285,249, Fran Kelly’s $255,000, Paul Barry’s $191,259, Barry
(sic) Cassidy’s $243,478 and Mark Scott’s own not inconsiderable of
$773,787.

I’d prefer the first, not least because it is politically an easier sell.
But the ABC should also realise there are many conservatives who do
actually listen to the ABC and want it to stay - who listen to Jon Faine
even though he can infuriate with his Leftism. Telling us to go listen
to Neil Mitchell instead is an insult and derogation of duty.
Mitchell is not a conservative but a populist - a windsock - and
humorless and self-important besides. If I hear the word “decency”
one more time…
No, the ABC has a responsibility to give the very many intelligent conservatives in this country a service as well.
(Thanks to reader Peter.)

Much in this case will depend on the bias of the judge, as is usually the case with such laws. Is he a Dylan fan or not?
But France really is a joke, and its ethnic and religious strife -
including many riots - suggests its laws against free speech do no
good to balance the harm. Among some notorious cases:

French film star Brigitte Bardot was today convicted of provoking discrimination and racial hatred for writing that Muslims are destroying France…
In the December 2006 letter to Mr Sarkozy, now the president, Bardot
said France is “tired of being led by the nose by this population that
is destroying us, destroying our country by imposing its acts.”
The actress, who is most famous for her sex kitten role in And God
Created Woman, was referring to the Muslim feast of Eid el-Kebir,
celebrated by slaughtering sheep.

Hamdi Alqudsi claims to live a quiet, modest life.
Surviving on a disability pension
and supposedly with less than $500 to his name, he lives in a small
western Sydney home with one of his two wives, Carnita Matthews…

A CRACKDOWN on Australians travelling to Syria to fight with jihadists is set to widen, with police preparing to charge a third suspected extremist currently in jail on attempted murder charges…
Hamdi Alqudsi, 39, and Amin Iman Mohamed, 23, both from Sydney, appeared in court…
AFP Deputy Commissioner Peter Drennan said police would allege Mr
Alqudsi was “responsible for organising travel to Syria for Australian
citizens to fight on the frontline, including with Jabhat al-Nusra and
then with other al-Qa’ida-affiliated groups"…
Some of Mr Alqudsi’s supporters in court refused a request from the NSW
Sheriff’s officer to remove their hats inside the courtroom.
”That’s part of the law? It’s not our law,” said one of the men, who declined to give his name.
Mr Mohamed’s lawyer, Peter Allport, ... said his client was part of the “Somali diaspora” who had fled the civil war and chaos in the East African country…
About 80 Australians, mostly dual nationals, are believed to be assisting the Syrian rebels in combat roles…
All those who Mr Alqudsi allegedly helped to travel to Syria were
Australians and are understood to have come from a “variety” of
backgrounds, marking them out from other Australians who have fought in
Syria, most of whom have been Lebanese-Australian dual nationals.
According to court documents, their names are: Tyler Casy aka Abu Qaqa,
Caner Temel aka Abu Moussa, Mehmet Biber aka Abu Abdul Malik, Muhammed
Abdul Karim Musleh aka Abu Hassan, Mahmoud Abed Aboshi aka Abu Alem,
Nassim Elbasha and Mr Mohamed, aka Abu Bilal.

Note: the charges have not been proven. Those charged must be presumed innocent.

Edward Snowden steals
and releases US National Security Agency spying secrets which expose no
crime but do damage the national security of the US and its allies.
Here’s how the ABC routinely describes Snowden:

The Guardian Australia has published secret documents from 2008, leaked by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden...

An unknown person, believed to be a scientist, leaks emails from the
most influential global warming scientists revealing collusion,
bullying, manipulation of data and stifling of dissent.
Here’s how the ABC (and Fairfax) routinely describes the leaker.

The scandal began when hackers
broke into the computer server at the University of East Anglia and
stole thousands of personal emails from climate scientists late last
year.

This theft is mischief on the level of Mossad or Stasiland by pros in the business of political subversion…
There are two theories being offered about the origin of the expose. The
first, and most convincing, given the forensic trail, is that a gang of
professional hackers in Russia (Tomsk?) was hired by someone. The
second is that the emails had been assembled by a person within the CRU
in response to a Freedom of Information demand that had subsequently
been blocked. This person then allowed the emails to escape ‘in the
public interest’.

Memo to ABC: your bias is showing. If the Climategate whistleblower is a “hacker” then Snowden is a “thief”.
(Thanks to reader Barry.)

The Coalition should never have made its Gonski promise to start with. But the answer should never have been to break it.
Paul Kelly says the fault isn’t really Christopher Pyne’s (although he did bungle the sell):

....this
was a case of cabinet’s Expenditure Review Committee pushing for more
savings but falling foul of the Coalition’s election pledges.
Christopher Pyne was personally given a letter by Tony Abbott that
embodied the ERC’s deliberations. He was given a tough job but he
mishandled it, causing deep agitation within the PM’s office. The ERC
decided to commit to promised Gonski school funding for one year for the
non-signatory states. Pyne’s brief was to run a public operation and
private negotiation to try to get savings from the total pool of Gonski
money given that NSW and Victoria had been generously treated…
It was never going to be realised because it ran into the brick wall of the election campaign pledges made by Abbott.
When the Prime Minister briefed Pyne, his Education Minister was
scarcely happy. It was agreed he would begin by making a political issue
of Labor’s removal of $1.2 billion from the pre-election estimates as
the prelude to getting a better overall deal for the national
government…
In the end [the Government] was battered into political submission.
Last Sunday night at a meeting involving Abbott, Julie Bishop, Joe
Hockey, Pyne and Peta Credlin the decision was taken to cut their
losses.

As pressure builds within the government for reform of the national
broadcaster and its funding, Mr Abbott attacked the ABC for amplifying
allegations Australia tapped the phones of Indonesian President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and senior officials.
“I think the ABC were guilty of poor judgment in broadcasting that
material, which was obviously difficult for Australia’s national
security and long-term best interests,” Mr Abbott said yesterday. “Why
should the ABC be acting as an advertising agent for a left-wing British
newspaper?”
Mr Abbott pledged to “speak plainly and candidly with Australians in the hope that ABC management will see sense”.

It could have proved cheaper for the ABC to honor its charter and
provide balance - hire conservative presenters rather than only those
from the Left. Now even Malcolm Turnbull sounds like a man with an axe:

Earlier, Mr Turnbull told the Coalition partyroom ABC operations could
be modernised, saying “old-fashioned” and “last-century work practices”
were a problem for the ABC…
Coalition sources say ... support is strengthening for its charter to be
withdrawn and funding stripped back under the commission of audit so it
could only operate a basic radio and television.

Here are the issues with the ABC:

- It is a state-owned media outlet.
- It has spread vastly in reach, operating five national radio networks,
four TV networks, an overseas TV service, bookshops and now a
publishing arm, competing with newspapers on line. Its reach would not
be tolerated in a private media business.
- It is now killing off private competitors. It offers free the same
kind of on-line news and views to the same audience Fairfax must sell to
to survive. Last month Politifact, a private on-line political
fact-checking business, announced it had been forced to wind down
operations and could close, in part because the ABC had this year
created its own on-line political fact-checking unit.
- It is biased, in breach of its charter. The ABC is meant to be
balanced, or at least present a range of voices. Yet every one of its
main current affairs shows is headed by someone of the Left. Every one
of the eight Media Watch presenters has been of the Left. Its main
science presenters are of the global warming Left. Its most recent Radio
National hirings - Jonathan Green and Waleed Aly - are of the Left. A
recent survey, albeit limited, confirmed ABC staff strongly lean to the
green left. A recent ABC TV program attacked an ABC critic by showing
a doctored photo of him having sex with a dog under a sign “dog
f...ker”. Yet all taxpayers are forced to pay for it.
- Now the ABC has, in coordination with the far-Left Guardian, published
stolen spying secrets which had badly damaged the national interest
without revealing any abuses of authority. Yet ABC presenters routinely
refer to the source of the stolen information, Edward Snowden, as a
“whistleblower” rather than traitor, saboteur or thief.
- The ABC is getting cruder. Calling conservative Chris Kenny a “dog f..er” is just one sign of it.
- The ABC is expensive, costing $1.2 billion a year.

But to repeat. It would have been cheaper for the ABC to inject a bit of
the balance it’s obliged to provide. Now, having so clearly declared
war on conservatives, using bullets paid for by conservative taxpayers,
it’s invited open resistance.
UPDATE
Well, to a point. Here’s Abbott, typically believing sweet
reasonableness - and not a big stick - will make the Left do the right
thing:

Senior conservative senator Cory Bernardi
touched off the spirited debate on Tuesday, slamming the ABC as ‘’a
taxpayer-funded behemoth’’ for expanding into print via its online news
operations which he said put it in direct competition with privately
funded commercial media companies, operating in an already difficult
market…
He said there was a compelling case to consider breaking the ABC into
two entities with the traditional television and radio operations
protected to ensure services in the bush and regional Australia, while
the online news service could be disposed of…

According to multiple sources in the meeting, the trio of Ms Bishop, and
senators Bernardi and Ian Macdonald, received ‘’warm’’ support for
their assessments that the broadcaster had failed to maintain political
balance, and was using its annual $1.1 billion tax-payer funding to
crowd out commercial news organisations in breach of its charter.

Bernardi was very, very good on Radio National Breakfast this morning.

More than any other news organisation, the ABC gave Labor a free pass over the past six years of calamitous government.
Remarkably, it has run dead on serious crime allegations against senior
Labor figures which are currently being investigated by police, while
ferociously hunting down every verbal misstep or stumble by the new
government.

So the prime scapegoat
so far in the “blackest day in Australian sport” didn’t actually oversee
any program of illicit drug taking, after all. Here the AFL’s emailed offer to Essendon chairman Paul Little to drop everything if coach James Hird just stepped aside for 12 months:

First the Rudd Government launched the “Digital Education Revolution” in
our schools - $2.4 billion to give senior secondary students their own
lap tops. But computers don’t actually teach.
Then the Rudd Government launched the “Building the Education
Revolution” in our schools - $16 billion for school halls, canteens and
libraries. But buildings don’t actually teach.
So after this massive spending on everything in schools except better ways of teaching, what did we get?

AUSTRALIAN
teenagers have slipped further behind their peers overseas in
international tests assessing skills in reading, maths and science, now ranking behind students in Vietnam, Poland and Estonia.
The latest results of the tests of 15-year-olds conducted by the OECD
group of industrialised nations, released last night, show that
Australia is one of 13 countries to have recorded a significant fall in
student performance in maths since 2003, while nine countries recorded a
significant improvement. Asian jurisdictions now dominate the ranks of
high-scoring students.
While Australia’s results in reading and science remained relatively
stable, maths scores recorded a big fall, and Australia has slipped
outside the top 10 nations in all three subjects for the first time
since the tests, called the Program for International Student
Assessment, started in 2000.

Asian countries soar. So it’s not so much the money but how you spend it
and how you teach - and how families value what you teach. Yet tell
that to our educationalists:

Sue Thomson, the director of educational
monitoring and research at the Australian Council for Educational
Research who oversees PISA in Australia, ... said the report made the
case for the Gonski review’s more equitable distribution of resources
among schools...

Yes, just add more cash. In fact, even the Gonski report, demanding
another $5 billion a year for education, had to admit that the biggest
falls in student performance didn’t come from children denied
“equitable” funding but from those with plenty:

However, over the last decade the performance of Australian students has declined at all levels of achievement, notably at the top end. This decline has contributed to the fall in Australia’s international position.

The biggest fall in our standards is among students at the top -
students we must presume tend to come from non-disadvantaged backgrounds
and good schools. And they are being overtaken mainly by students from
disadvantaged countries, with largely poorer schools.
So is the money or the method of teaching to blame? To help you decide:

The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics values Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander histories and cultures. It provides opportunities for
students to appreciate that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
societies have sophisticated applications of mathematical concepts.
Students will explore connections between representations of number and
pattern and how they relate to aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander cultures. They will investigate time, place, relationships and
measurement concepts in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts.

No, I am not saying this idea explains our falling standard -
comparatively - in maths. But it illustrates a tendency in education to
stress proper attitudes rather than academic excellence.

I can’t believe this.
Now this Liberal Government is considering giving taxpayers’ money to to
a foreign company to bail out a struggling local operation mad enough
to give its unions a 35-hour week. And it employs a former union boss to
negotiate the deal:

This government is completely lost in the thickets of industry assistance. Someone give it a compass.
A truly free market government would cut the costs of business, free the
labor markets and give business more power to determine a proper
market rate for labor. It would not subsidise the restrictive work
practices and high costs of a union-dominated business. Do that and you
just invite more beggars to your door.
And indeed:

Mr Macfarlane said the process at SPC could provide a lead for Simplot,
which makes Edgell and Bird’s Eye products as well as the Chiko Roll and
is also seeking government assistance.

Hey, there’s another Labor Government in Canberra.

===David BowlesI'm often amused at the close-minded, knee-jerk assumptions of some people who agitate for open-mindedness and tolerance. Granted, I probably shouldn't go around poking at hornets' nests, but the temptation to peer past personas is very tempting. I will now go back to keeping my mouth shut and an eyebrow raised in disapprobrium.
===
===

The Labor opposition and Australian Greens voted in the Senate late on Monday night to overturn temporary protection visas (TPVs).

Mr Abbott, who has been under significant pressure on federal schools funding, described Labor MPs as 'wreckers and vandals' who were giving the Australian people a 'two-fingered salute' by blocking government bills.

He threatened to make the House of Representatives sit until Christmas to pass new yet-to-be-revealed laws to make up for the axing of TPVs, as well as to repeal the carbon and mining taxes and raise the debt ceiling to $500 billion.

'I don't think the Labor party should get a free pass at Christmas time if it's not prepared to accept that the people voted a certain way,' Mr Abbott said.

The refugee convention could also be in the firing line, despite Mr Abbott saying the government respected it.

'We think it's important that it be dealt with properly and we'll have more to say on this in the days and weeks ahead,' Mr Abbott said.

The prime minister has previously expressed concerns with the way the convention, which Australia ratified in 1954, had been 'imported into Australian law'.>

===Due to the overwhelming response from corporate sponsors we are able to offer all our lucky social media buddies a special price! quote the promo code 'PARRACITY' at the check out and get your ticket for only $20!!! did i just say TWENTY DOLLARS? yes, yes i did. Hurry limited time only. Mahal X
===<... 62 % SAID YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The other 38% of schizophrenics said no LMAO and the other 38% of schizophrenics said no >

Where is the cafe? Let's go! - ed
===I keep telling myself that. Shorten is a genius. But if you judge him by his ability .. ed===Pastor Rick WarrenDear friends, I'd deeply appreciate it if you could pause for a moment and pray for me to have wisdom right now Since Matthew died early this year, I've declined all interview requests from media- except for CNN and PEOPLE magazine. But this week, I am in New York City for 4 days of interviews. I could use your prayers.

The reason is that today , THE DANIEL PLAN, my first major book since Purpose Driven Life (10 yrs ago) is being published. PD LIFE was about spiritual health. Purpose Driven CHURCH, was about church health. This new book is about honoring God with our physical health. It's the program we developed at Saddleback Church that helped 12,000 of our church members get healthier and lose 250,000 pounds last year. It's farmore than a diet... emphasizing FAITH... FOCUS... FRIENDS... FOOD... and FITNESS.

Here are some of the shows and interviews I'll do this week. Thanks for your prayers.

• Parade Magazine• USA Today• CNN Piers Morgan Live on December 4, 9-10 pm• CBS This Morning on December 4, 8:30 am• Fox News & Commentary with Todd Starnes on December 4• HuffPost Live on December 4• MSNBC Morning Joe on December 5• FOX The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson on December 5, 2-3 pm• CNN The Lead with Jake Tapper on December 5, 4-5 pm• ABC's The View on December 6, 11 am• The Dr. Oz Show on December 12 (check local listings)• Fox & Friends on January 1

If you are intertested in watching any of these, you should check your local listings for exact times an stations.Bless you!
===Robin can say this with a conservative government elected there .. his humour is that partisan - ed
===Wilcox shows Shorten? Shorten took the money away, and then demanded the Libs put it back ..
===It took time & determination as well as the work of many hands to wreck a functioning Education System. For many years only the dedicated effort of the parents of some families who saw what was happening has propped it up by making up for it by teaching their children t...except, there are good teachers who sacrifice much to educate kids despite the roadblocks. Some parents are impediments too. Also, some of the stupid rules also protect kids from bad teachers. It isn't as black and white as you paint, it is much worse. Some shockingly bad teachers get promoted. Some good ones get through. And then there are ones with good intentions who have no idea. The problem is not that education is bad. The problem is it is corrupted. There is sufficient information from external tests to evaluate the performance of teachers who have been working for more than eight years, but no one has the courage to use it. - ed
===
===
===

===During the Holocaust, Jews fervently tried to continue to commemorate the Jewish holidays, even while imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps.

Chanukah came to Bergen-Belsen. It was time to kindle the Chanukah lights. A jug of oil was not to be found, no candle was in sight, and a menorah belonged to the distant past. Instead, a wooden clog, the shoe of one of the inmates, became a menorah; strings pulled from a concentration-camp uniform, a wick; and the black camp shoe polish, pure oil.Harav Yisrael Spira, the Bluzhover Rebbe, lit the first light and chanted the first two blessings in his pleasant voice, and the festive melody was filled with sorrow and pain. When he was about to recite the third blessing, he stopped, turned his head, and looked around as if he were searching for something.But immediately, he turned his face back to the quivering small lights and in a strong, reassuring, comforting voice, chanted the third blessing: "Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season."As soon as the Rebbe finished the ceremony of kindling the lights, a prisoner elbowed his way to him and said, "Rabbi Spira, you are a clever and honest person. I can understand your need to light Chanukah candles in these wretched times. I can even understand the historical note of the second blessing, 'Who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season.' But the fact that you recited the third blessing is beyond me. How could you thank G-d and say 'Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season'? How could you say it when thousands of living Jewish skeletons are walking around in the camp, and millions more are being massacred? For this you are thankful to G-d? For this you praise Him? This you call 'keeping us alive'?""You are a hundred percent right," answered the Rebbe. "When I reached the third blessing, I also hesitated and asked myself, what should I do with this blessing? But I noticed that behind me a throng was standing, a large crowd of living Jews, their faces expressing faith, devotion, and concentration as they were listening to the rite of the kindling of Chanukah lights."I said to myself, that at times like these, they stand in throngs and with devotion listening to the Chanukah blessing 'Who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season'; if, indeed, I was blessed to see such a people with so much faith and fervor, then I am under a special obligation to recite the third blessing."

Today, there is an explosion of artistic designer jewelry excellence coming out of Israel, craftsmanship bursting with organic creativity, rooted in Jewish tradition yet fused with a modern tapestry of techniques, materials, styles and energy. For the next 24 hours, the Judaica WebStore seeks to introduce you to some of the unique talent emerging out of the Holy Land today in designer jewelry as we offer huge discounts on a wide variety of products from the top Israeli jewelry designers. This is jewelry you won't see anywhere else, and for prices you won’t beat anywhere else! So do yourself a favor, take a look, and then get yourself or someone special a precious gift that to last a lifetime!

We at 12Tribe Films are excited to introduce to you the 3rd episode of our newest production - the Joy of Israel with Jamie Geller Episode #3 - Holy Hebron and Sweet Hebron Hills! Never before has the beauty of Israel been showcased for the world to see in reality TV format with the mission of educating, exciting and connecting people to Israel. This new series will reshape the entire image of living in Israel into one that is exciting, inspiring, and beautiful.

Don't miss watching this fascinating new Joy of Israel with Jamie Geller episode. Click here to watch and be inspired!

After the film festival screening, everyone is invited to a special JOY OF KOSHER book launch party with a special food and wine tasting! If you are in Jerusalem, click here to order your tickets today!

Thank you for caring about Israel. Here is a new tool we have developed for people like you to stay up-to-date with important videos with the latest news in Israel.Sign Up Here!

FEATURED VIDEOS

International law is on Israel's side. Watch the video to understand why!

This must be one of the best video presentations that clearly explains international law and the legal case for Israel and Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. Definitely watch this to have a better understanding of international law so you can talk about Israel's situation intelligently with others.

This gripping page-turner takes historical fiction to a new level as it explores the life of one of the most significant and enigmatic leaders in world history: Herod the Great. From the corridors of power in Jerusalem and Rome to the farms and fields of the simple folk trying to survive in turbulent times, you will get a real sense of time and place from one of the most important chapters in hostory. You will also meet all the most significan characters form that time, including the Caesars, Jerusalem's High Priest and Sages, Anthony and Cleopatra, and more. But behind it all is Herod. Herod the proud. Herod the builder. Herod the muderer. Herod the Roman puppet. Herod the schemer. Herod the Great.

Because you are a registered member of the United With Israel e-mail list, you arereceiving this advertiser sponsored e-mail. Offers such as today's enable usto provide and improve our services. No endorsement of advertiser productsor services, real or implied, is intended.

• Washington Post covers the growing movement to allow Jews to pray on the Temple Mount.• Finance Minister Yair Lapid gets his message across on Iran.• NY Times op-ed blames Hamas for most of Gaza's sewage and water problems.

The IDNS is a daily roundup of everything you need to know about how the media is covering Israel, all in one place for easy reference, delivered directly to your inbox every morning. Want to receive weekly Bias Alerts? Manage your subscriptions. Please tell your friends to learn more and sign up here.

Join more than 150,000 people demanding fair media coverage. HonestReporting was formed in 2000 to respond to unfair coverage against Israel in the wake of the second Intifada. Since then, it's prompted hundreds of corrections and retractions. Stay informed on all media issues by signing up to HR's weekly bias alert emails.

Since lifting most economic sanctions last year, trade and investment have become top priorities of the US-Burma governments partnership.

Now the Burmese Government has petitioned the US to grant it preferential trade status (GSP) that would allow them to import more than 5,000 products into the US duty free. Imagine a ‘Made in Myanmar’ product imported duty free that was produced on confiscated land or with exploited labor?

We at USCB are very concerned for what Burma's rural majority and ethnic nationalities will face in the near future as investment will strip them of their land and resources. Draconian labor laws, land ownership and environmental protections have not been changed to ensure the rights of Burma's majority, and investment will only exacerbate issues that currently exist. We need your help now more than ever.

Our work tackling trade and investment in Burma has not been easy, and as U.S. companies continue to invest, our efforts will continue to multiply. Please consider donating to us today so we may continue to ensure responsible trade and investment on the ground. We are grateful for your continued support.

As ObamaCare continues to dominate the news, I appeared on CNN's State of the Union last Sunday to discuss this debacle and to talk about the future of healthcare.

One point that I made is now that the website is getting fixed, the real problems of ObamaCare will start. The disastrous roll out of ObamaCare was just the tip of the iceberg.

Here is a recap of my comments:

"I've talked -- I talked to an insurance -- some people in the insurance industry this morning. And they told me that most of the front end may be looking good. People may be able to get on and get responses, but the information coming out the back end to the insurance companies is still garbage. It's undecipherable. And it's requiring them to, on a case-by-case basis, actually have someone go -- because there's misinformation, there's triplicates, there's husbands labeled as wives. There's all sorts of problems with the data coming into the insurance companies. So you think you may have signed up, but you may not, because the insurance company may not have the data available to actually put you in the system." Watch video here.

"When this website eventually gets fixed, the problems really begin for this administration... This is a disastrous bill number one. It is a big problem. The president stood behind it; promised all of these things. What's going to happen: peoples' rates are going to go up; they are going to go up dramatically; they're going to see their premiums go up; they are going to see their deductibles go up." Watch video here.

I also discussed how our First Amendment rights are being impacted by ObamaCare:

"The idea that the First Amendment stops when you walk out of a church, that it doesn't have anything to do with how you live the rest of your life, I don't know very many people of faith that believe their religion ends with just worship. It ends in how you practice and live that faith. And now what President Obama is saying, 'No, once you step outside of that church door, I get to impose my values on you. Your religious values don't matter anymore. It's my values that I can impose on you.' I don't think that's what the First Amendment stands for..." Watch video here.

Please join us in helping this worthy organization by donating a new, unwrapped toy to a Toys for Tots location in your area. You can find a toy donation location here or if you wish to make a monetary donation, please do that here.

Romeike Family Update

Earlier this year, Patriot Voices teamed up with the Home School Legal Defense Association to bring attention to the plight of the Romeike family, German citizens who fled to the United States to avoid religious persecution byGerman authorities because they were homeschooling their children.

Last week, the Supreme Court ordered the Obama administration to respond to the Romeike's deportation appeal by December 19th. We will watch this situation closely and keep you updated.

In 2010, the Romeike Family was granted asylum by an immigration judge in Tennessee, which was later revoked by the Department of Justice. Attorney General Eric Holder is disputing thefamily's immigration status on the grounds that Germany's intolerance to homeschooling doesn't violate the Romeike's rights. It's important to realize this is more than about one family - it could affect homeschooling families in our own country. This is about a parent's right to determine what's best for their children.Read more here.

Catch up with Patriot Voices Radio

If you haven't listened to a Patriot Voices Radio show, it's time to tune in! You can listen to all of our past broadcasts herewww.patriotvoices.com/radio, and please mark your calendar for Tuesday, December 10 at noon ET for our next live show! Last week's show was a great one. You can listen to ithere.

The Christmas Candle

The Christmas Candle movie has been in theaters for two weeks, and it is going strong! Despite tough competition at the box office, The Christmas Candle is doing well for an independent film. If you haven't seen the movie yet, I encourage you to take your family and friends this week. This is a great movie to get you into the Christmas spirit. Find a theater near you atwww.christmascandlemovie.com/tickets (this list is updated on a regular basis, so check back often)!

Help Patriot Voices carry out our mission

Your financial support is critical to ensuring that we can carry out our mission of fighting for faith, family, freedom and opportunity in America. Help us in our efforts by making a contribution of $25, $50, or $100 so we can keep fighting for our conservative values.

From the Blog

Naturally, if “private sector velocity” is what you’re after, the first thing you do is take the operation away from the private sector and give it to the public sector to run so hundreds of millions of dollars can be spent in a futile attempt to re-create that wheel...

Morning

Having pronounced his Church positively full of beauty, our Lord confirms his praise by a precious negative, "There is no spot in thee." As if the thought occurred to the Bridegroom that the carping world would insinuate that he had only mentioned her comely parts, and had purposely omitted those features which were deformed or defiled, he sums up all by declaring her universally and entirely fair, and utterly devoid of stain. A spot may soon be removed, and is the very least thing that can disfigure beauty, but even from this little blemish the believer is delivered in his Lord's sight. If he had said there is no hideous scar, no horrible deformity, no deadly ulcer, we might even then have marvelled; but when he testifies that she is free from the slightest spot, all these other forms of defilement are included, and the depth of wonder is increased. If he had but promised to remove all spots by-and-by, we should have had eternal reason for joy; but when he speaks of it as already done, who can restrain the most intense emotions of satisfaction and delight? O my soul, here is marrow and fatness for thee; eat thy full, and be satisfied with royal dainties.

Christ Jesus has no quarrel with his spouse. She often wanders from him, and grieves his Holy Spirit, but he does not allow her faults to affect his love. He sometimes chides, but it is always in the tenderest manner, with the kindest intentions: it is "my love" even then. There is no remembrance of our follies, he does not cherish ill thoughts of us, but he pardons and loves as well after the offence as before it. It is well for us it is so, for if Jesus were as mindful of injuries as we are, how could he commune with us? Many a time a believer will put himself out of humour with the Lord for some slight turn in providence, but our precious Husband knows our silly hearts too well to take any offence at our ill manners.

Evening

Well may our God be glorious in the eyes of his people, seeing that he has wrought such wonders for them, in them, and by them. For them, the Lord Jesus upon Calvary routed every foe, breaking all the weapons of the enemy in pieces by his finished work of satisfactory obedience; by his triumphant resurrection and ascension he completely overturned the hopes of hell, leading captivity captive, making a show of our enemies openly, triumphing over them by his cross. Every arrow of guilt which Satan might have shot at us is broken, for who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Vain are the sharp swords of infernal malice, and the perpetual battles of the serpent's seed, for in the midst of the church the lame take the prey, and the feeblest warriors are crowned.

The saved may well adore their Lord for his conquests in them, since the arrows of their natural hatred are snapped, and the weapons of their rebellion broken. What victories has grace won in our evil hearts! How glorious is Jesus when the will is subdued, and sin dethroned! As for our remaining corruptions, they shall sustain an equally sure defeat, and every temptation, and doubt, and fear, shall be utterly destroyed. In the Salem of our peaceful hearts, the name of Jesus is great beyond compare: he has won our love, and he shall wear it. Even thus securely may we look for victories by us. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. We shall cast down the powers of darkness which are in the world, by our faith, and zeal, and holiness; we shall win sinners to Jesus, we shall overturn false systems, we shall convert nations, for God is with us, and none shall stand before us. This evening let the Christian warrior chant the war song, and prepare for to-morrow's fight. Greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world.

Today's Old Testament reading: Ezekiel 45-46

Israel Fully Restored

1 "'When you allot the land as an inheritance, you are to present to the LORD a portion of the land as a sacred district, 25,000 cubits long and 20,000 cubits wide; the entire area will be holy. 2 Of this, a section 500 cubits square is to be for the sanctuary, with 50 cubits around it for open land. 3 In the sacred district, measure off a section 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. In it will be the sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 4 It will be the sacred portion of the land for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and who draw near to minister before the LORD. It will be a place for their houses as well as a holy place for the sanctuary. 5 An area 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide will belong to the Levites, who serve in the temple, as their possession for towns to live in.

6 "'You are to give the city as its property an area 5,000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long, adjoining the sacred portion; it will belong to all Israel....

Today's New Testament reading: 1 John 2

1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Love and Hatred for Fellow Believers

3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining....

The Eternal Dimension of Generosity

This great section on restoration ends with a stress on the bringing in of the nations as holy priests to God and the eventual creation of new heavens and a new earth. Neither our ultimate goal nor our optimal quality of life can be realized in this present world; it can only be realized in the new world Jesus will create, as all nations are brought to holiness and submission to him.

The fact that the climax of Isaiah involves worship through offerings is also instructive for us as we think about the significance of our giving. One of the ways in which we seek God’s coming kingdom is by using our resources in a way that reflects their eternal destiny—by storing up treasures in heaven, where they will last forever (see Mt 6:19–21; 1Tim 6:17–19). Take a few moments to reflect on the following brief observations regarding the eternal dimension of generosity:

Let me assume the role of “eternal financial counselor” and offer this advice: choose your investments carefully; compare their rates of interest; consider their ultimate trustworthiness; and especially compare how they will be working for you a few million years from now. —Randy Alcorn

We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give. —Winston Churchill (1874–1965)

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. —Jim Elliot (1927–1956)

The only antidote I can find in the Scripture for greed and materialism is letting loose and giving what God has given you to help other people. If you do not release what God has entrusted to you, it will wrap its arms around your throat. —Chip Ingram

The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it. —William James (1842–1910)

I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess. —Martin Luther (1483–1546)

We always pay dearly for chasing after what is cheap. —Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (1918–2008)

The less I spent on myself, the more I gave to others, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become. —Hudson Taylor (1832–1905)

Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality. —A. W. Tozer (1897–1963)

ANGEL

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." - Matthew 1:20-21

Angel: 1). A spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God (Oxford English Dictionary).

What did Mary see when the angel Gabriel appeared to her? What kind of being came with foreknowledge of a supernatural conception and with words that would change her identity forever? "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you" (Lk. 1:28). How would the shepherds have described the angel with the glory of the Lord shining about? How could they encapsulate "a great company of the heavenly host," whose voices poured out a sudden tidal wave of sound, a booming chorus?: "Glory to God in the highest!" (Lk. 2:14 ). How would Joseph his own encounter with the angel? Or what would Zechariah, John the Baptist's father, say about their messengers? In the days leading up to the birth of Jesus, supernatural appearances and utterances were occurring like they never had before-an electric buzz of Heaven's voices among us.

The real meaning of "angel" is simply, "messenger." This reminds us that Christmas is about a message. It is a gospel, good news. The best news. And paving the way were powerful spiritual messengers whose very presence struck fear and awe in people (no pudgy, winged cherubs here). Their mission and their message transformed humankind-and we have never been the same.

This year, any one of us can probably think of a dozen cases in which we would like to hear a personal message from God. We have that message. It is a message individually suited to each of us, because it was sent to all of us. As the angel said to Joseph: "[Jesus] will save people from their sins." The angels' message from that cold night continues to ring through the atmosphere-centuries later, and it is as true as in its first utterance. In this mortal world that is at once be full of wonders, yet seized by sin and darkness: We have been saved.

Prayer for today: Lord, thank you for your message of hope and renewal, for your son. Let my heart receive this message new every day, and may my eyes be opened to your continued presence in this world.

The Wondrous Cross

Keith A. Mathison

I sometimes wonder how many Christians stop to think about how incredibly odd it is that crucifixes are used as works of art. Crucifixes adorn church architecture, classic paintings, sculpture, and even jewelry. But consider for a moment

consider for a moment what a crucifix was originally. It was a means of execution. In fact, it was and is one of the most ghastly means of execution ever devised by man. So horrible was it that it was reserved for the lowest of the low: slaves, pirates, and rebels. Roman citizens were exempt. Cultured Romans considered it unworthy of discussion in polite company. Yet today we wear this symbol of degrading and humiliating death around our necks. The jarring nature of this is not immediately apparent to us because over time, the symbol of the cross has lost many of its original connotations. To get some idea of the oddity, imagine seeing people wearing necklaces with images of a guillotine or an electric chair.

What happened, then, to account for the change? We know Jesus was put to death on a Roman cross, but what was it about His death that transformed this symbol of horror into a symbol of hope? In the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion we read, for the most part, about what any observer on the hill that day would have seen. We do not read as much about the interpretation of what was going on until we get to the book of Acts and the Epistles. In Paul's preaching, for example, he explained from the Old Testament that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and that Jesus was the Messiah ( Acts 17:2-3). But where would Paul have gone in the Old Testament to prove that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer? There are a number of texts to which he could have turned (for example, Ps. 16; 22), but one of the most significant was likelyIsaiah 52:13-53:12.

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is one of Isaiah's "Servant Songs." In the first Servant Song (42:1-9), Isaiah describes the Servant's mission to establish justice and a kingdom across the earth. The second Servant Song (49:1-6) describes the Servant's mission to restore Israel. The third Servant Song ( 50:4-9) reveals the obedience of the Servant and the suffering he endures as a result. The fourth and final Servant Song then reveals how the Servant will redeem his people. It reveals that his suffering will be the means by which he delivers his people from sin. It reveals that he will take their sin upon himself. Isaiah writes (53:5):

But he was wounded for our

transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement

that brought us peace,

and with his stripes we

are healed.

This is what happened on the cross as Jesus was crucified. He was God's Servant. He was the one whom God revealed to Isaiah eight centuries before His death. On the cross, He took our sins upon Himself and bore God's wrath. His death was the atonement for all of our sins. We who have placed our faith in Jesus have forgiveness of sins and peace with God because of what was accomplished on the cross. Is it any wonder that Paul declares to the Corinthian church: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" ( 1 Cor. 2:2).

Think on this. Let it sink in. Christ suffered and died on the cross because of sin. Your sin. My sin. Since the fall, sin has been the problem in the world. We do not think much of sin in our day and age. We are beyond such things. Sin is an "old-fashioned" and outdated concept, or so we think.

If you want to know the true perspective on the seriousness of sin, however, look to the cross. Look at the extreme nature of the solution to this problem. If sin were "no big deal," would God have sent His only begotten Son to die a shameful death on a cross to deal with it? And what kind of love is this? What kind of love is displayed when God sends His only begotten Son to die for the sins we commit against Him? This is love of a kind and degree that we can hardly fathom. This is what changed the cross from a symbol of fear to a symbol of faith. This is what led Isaac Watts to write:

Subscribe to Tabletalk magazine and receive daily Bible studies & in depth articles from world class scholars for only $23 per per year! That's only $1.92 per month. And you can try it out for three months absolutely free! Bringing the best in biblical scholarship together with down-to-earth writing, Tabletalk helps you understand the Bible and apply it to daily living.

ADVERTISEMENT

===

Loving Those You Love

"I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan."2 Samuel 9:7

Many years after his friend Jonathan died, King David reached out to Jonathan's son Mephibosheth. David restored to Mephibosheth the land that had belonged to his grandfather, King Saul, and David welcomed Mephibosheth to his royal table. Why? Because David loved Jonathan and wanted to do something kind to a member of Saul's household "for Jonathan's sake" (2 Samuel 9:1).

Sometimes, I don't want to extend myself on behalf of anyone else, even my husband. But when we entered into marriage, we committed not just to love each other but also to behave lovingly toward the people we each love. This doesn't mean we necessarily have to like everyone our spouse likes. The Bible, after all, doesn't say whether or not David liked Mephibosheth. What it says is that David and Jonathan had a special love for each other (see 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 20:17; 2 Samuel 1:26); and because David loved Jonathan, he extended kindness to Mephibosheth.

One of the most powerful ways my husband loves me is by loving my sister. To be completely honest, my sister and I don't get along that well. We don't have much in common (except our faces, which are almost identical). When we're together, we seem to regress to childhood, circa 1985, when I was nine and she was sixteen. She tells me what to do, and I bristle. We get tetchy. We pick at each other like hens.

I think Griff and Leanne like each other well enough, though I doubt they would have sought each other out and become friends had not marriage made them siblings-in-law. And it doesn't really matter how much they like each other. What matters is that they extend themselves to one another.

On Wednesday nights, when I have church commitments, Griff eats dinner with Leanne and her family. Griff also volunteers to babysit for my nephew. When I am out of town on business, Leanne calls Griff and checks on him. And though Griff and Leanne do have affection for one another, they make these gestures, I think, less out of affection for one another and more out of love for me. Griff understands that eating dinner with Leanne and her family knits Leanne and me together, even though I am not at the dinner table.

When two people marry, they don't become involved with just one other person. Spouses come with a constellation of families and friends. We can ignore those relationships. We can view them as a threat to our relationship with our spouse and fight them. Or we can lovingly insert ourselves into those relationships and help grow them.

We don't have to develop intimate friendships with all of our spouse's relatives and close friends. But, as David understood, we can best honor, love and serve our spouse by making loving overtures to the people they love.Lauren Winner

Let's Talk

Who are the people (besides each other and our children) we love best in the world? How have we extended ourselves in love to people in each other's world?

Why is it sometimes difficult to love the other people who came with this marriage? Is there someone one of us finds difficult to love? What would happen if we imagined God showing up in our relationships with difficult people?

Is there a cherished friend or relative whom we wished had a better relationship with one of us?

Translate

Subscribe To

Followers

Translator

About Me

I'm author of History in a Year by the Conservative Voice aka History of the World in a Year by the Conservative Voice.

I'm the Conservative Voice.

I'm looking to make contact with those who might use my skill.

I have an m-audio mobile pre amp fed by the audiotechnica 2041sp condensor mic pack. Prior to 15/4/06, I'd used a Shure sm-58 that required a nuclear blast to register a sound or the internal mic of my aged imac, which has a penchance to recording my breathing. I also used a Griffin itrip, until the community convinced me it was not hiding my talent as well as the other mics.

I am a Writer and an occasional Math Teacher (Sir, what's the occasion?). I like to sing, having no instrumental talent (cannot even clap in time, and yes, I'm aware singing badly IS obnoxious).

I have performed the finale to Les Miserables before an audience of 500. I have also sung before a similar audience (students, parents) renditions of 'I Will' (Beatles), 'Mr Cairo' (Jon Vangelis) and 'I am Australian' (Seekers). Now I seek another profession because the audience hates me ..